Nrityagram - The Village of Dance
Bhaya Harini, Moolya Tarini, Shakti Pradayini; Dukh Nivarini, Paap Vinashini, Jagat Kalyani. Absolver of fear, Saviour of values, Source of energy; Eradicator of sorrows, Destroyer of sins, Harbinger of the world.
‘Nritya’ means Dance and ‘Gram’ means Village. So, this village of dance located amidst the expanse of nature promotes holistic living with yoga, meditation, study of ancient scriptures, study of Sanskrit and martial arts which are embedded in its routine. Nrityagram is known for its astute dancers who are trained in Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Manipuri - the classical dance forms of India. The performances are powered by the energy and divinity of the ‘Nrityaashram’. It comes in its fullest vigour at the Vasantahabba, an annual festival of Nrityagram. In addition, the ensemble of the ashram travels around the world spreading the beauty and charm of India’s most traditional and classical art forms in beautiful hues.
The synergy of Nrityagram has won several accolades - individually and as a group. The New York Times called it “A Modern Devotion to a Sacred Indian Ritual” and The Economic Times described it as, “The poet says the sweetest sounds are those which tell of the saddest things. But this sounds divine!” Appreciating Nrityagram’s annual fest Vasanthabba, The Education Times wrote “The most extraordinary Indian classical dance fest in the contemporary world.”
Celebrating 2011 as the Year of India in Canada, The Rose Theatre in association with the Consulate General of India, presents a compilation of five performances from ‘sriyah?’ a selection of works created over a decade by Nrityagram. These ensemble pieces - Aakriti, Srimayi, Sridevi, Ritu Vasanta and Vibhakta are parts of specific earlier productions called Sri: In Search of the Goddess, Ansh, Sacred Space and Pratima: Reflection.
Aakriti extrapolates the slow and sensuous moves to the exhilarating intricate patterns with nuances of feet and body movements; Srimayi is a depiction of a poem from saint poet Jayadev’s Geet Govinda- the song of the immortal and divine love of Lord Krishna and His beloved Radha; Sridevi is a dance in praise of the Mother Goddess, seeking Her divine presence to light our path; Ritu Vasant explores the various dimensions of the abstract vocabulary of the lyrical form of Odissi and finally Vibhakta explains the requirement of the perfect symphony of the male and female energies- a secret of universal creation where each acknowledges and celebrates the existence of the other.
The acclaimed dancers for this event are Pavithra Reddy, Bijayini Satpathy and Surupa Sen projecting their years of sweat and dedication as awe inspiring models of their philosophy. Surupa- “Superbly sensuous… a piece of temple sculpture come alive!” (The Hindu); Bijayini- “An inspired dancer whose very exuberance makes one’s own heart leap!” (Explore Dance) and Pavithra - “If ever the words ‘Born to Dance’ could be perfect someone, she was the one!” says Nrityagram itself for Pavithra. Welcome The Nrityagram Ensemble “Dance troupe from India agile, precise and just brilliant!” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
So, be ready to experience the ecstasy of spirituality, divinity and romance coupled with graceful feminine movements and the distinctive energy associated with classical Odissi. Discover the climactic combination of mysticism and reality. Ready to enthral you with some of the stunning moves and vibrancy, clad in subtle jingles of the ankle bells, prepare to discover the odyssey that is Nrityagram.
As printed in the March 2011 issue of Odeum Magazine.
When: Saturday, March 19, 2011
Where: Rose Theatre Brampton
1 Theatre Lane
Brampton, ON L6V 1A2
Time: 7:30 pm
Tickets: $48, $58, $68
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